May be the same thing. One of the things I enjoy about baseball, especially pitching, is that there is no minimum or maximum weight or height, no “right” size for a position. At least, there’s none that’s been proven yet.

Hell, they still haven’t proven if players are better when sober, slightly drunk, high, very high, and totally wasted.

mrfloydpink - Feb 7, 2013 at 10:57 AM

C.C. Sabathia would like a word with you…

proudlycanadian - Feb 7, 2013 at 11:17 AM

A major weight loss by a pitcher does not mean that he will necessarily pitch any better. Last season, Brett Cecil lost a lot of weight and proceeded to lose his spot in the Jays rotation because he wasn’t pitching very well.

paperlions - Feb 7, 2013 at 11:41 AM

Yep, weight loss was also partially attributed to Shelby Miller’s early season struggles (though scouts insist that his mechanics were wildly different at the beginning of the year than they were before or after, when he pitched effectively). In any case, some extra mass can reduce the effort level of pitchers and take stress off the arm.

Same thing with golf. Carl Petterson lost weight and got buff and it messed with his mechanics.

shawnuel - Feb 7, 2013 at 10:51 AM

Seriously….GOOD FOR HIM. As someone who has lost 197 lbs in the last 16 months, I know this takes a special kind of dedication. It can only help his performance now, and his overall well being in the long run. Kudos Mr, Lackey!

John Lackey had a terrible stretch in his life where his personal and professional lives were in shambles (luckily he still made millions and millions of dollars during these trying times – doesn’t fix, but doesn’t hurt). I hope he bounces back well. He’ll always be the guy that won game 7 in 2002 to me, so I can’t ever wish ill on him.